National Parks of Montenegro, new IUCN member

Thu, 13 Feb 2014

The Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro became a member of IUCN, following the decision of IUCN Council in November 2013. IUCN extends a very warm welcome to its new member and looks forward to strengthened cooperation in Montenegro.

“During their decades long existence, National Parks of Montenegro have been developing management segments to protect, improve and promote their outstanding values. In addition, international cooperation has increasingly great importance for nature protection. This motivated National Parks of Montenegro to become an official member of IUCN. Our goal is to follow examples of good practice and experiences from more developed protected areas and apply them in own plans and programmes, to connect with other organizations, institutions and individuals working on nature protection and we expect other possibilities and efficient solutions, that would reach us through IUCN,“ said Zoran Mrdak, Director of Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro. “We believe that the membership in IUCN will assure an international cooperation boost for National Parks of Montenegro, achieved through the promotion of numerous values of protected areas of Montenegro,” he added.

Montenegro, and its national parks, have an important place in the global network of protected areas, given their exceptional values, natural and cultural alike, geographical position and potential for effective management. First national parks in Montenegro were designated 61 years ago. With the proclamation of National Park Prokletije in 2009, Montenegro expanded its network of protected areas to 8% of its territory. National Parks of Montenegro manage five National Parks: Durmitor (World Heritage site), Biogradska gora (one of the last virgine forests in Europe), Skadar Lake (a wetland of International Importance - Ramsar site and the largest freshwater lake in South-Eastern Europe), and peaks and lakes of Lovćen and Prokletije. The Public Enterprise for National Parks is responsible for these areas’ protection, preparation and implementation of management plans and programmes, monitoring of the use of natural resources, establishment of internal procedures and promotion.